Baguio is known for its cold breeze and pine trees, the feels (lal-lalo nu nag-iskwela ka pay dituy Baguio ah) the late night walks and the stories behind every eskenitas and corners of Baguio, and siyempre the ever blooming annual flower festival (crowded, like sobra!!!! but the very essence of it is the bomb!!!) kaya naman Panagbenga will always have a place in my heart and celebrating the season of blooming reminds me of the beauty of “timing“.

All year round the flower markets in Baguio are filled with the colorful lovelies, and every other month you’ll get to see planted flowers in the parks and house gardens copiously blooming on its own. I’ve always been looking forward to October and November, cause these are the months where another set of beauties bloom. The Tree Marigold as they say, also known as “WILD SUNFLOWERS” which profusely bloom during the last quarter of the year. For me, this is the Panagbenga at its finest–the real deal!!! cause you’ll get to witness the bedazzling sabong thriving beside vacant lots and mountainsides of Benguet. Back in college, on my way to school I’d pass by this wall along Bonifacio (right in front of TCP Showroom) and stop for a moment just to stare at the bright yellow-orange petals of the wild sunflowers glimmering from the morning rays of the sun. These lucid beauties thriving on the retaining walls along Dominican road, Quirino Hill, Bakakeng, Marcos Highway, Antamok Road (gosh its everywhere!!! I tell you!). *will be posting photos of the wild sunflowers soon.

This flower speaks of how Baguio made me a better person. With all the walls I built, cracked open by these delicate weeds that grew all over and brought august to my pain. A very beautiful one.

“Alimbukad” is a tagalog term which means “in full; efflorescence; full flowering. Pamumukadkad, pamumulaklak” (KWF, 1993) other term for Panagbenga. One of the old tagalog words that is lost in our everyday Filipino. And just like that, we all have our own version and season of “Alimbukad”(may kanya kanya tayong timing…) Yours may be during the month of February while others on the month of October or December. But in order to bloom we need a good source of life and energy–a good soil, enough sunlight, and shade. In life, relationships and faith is what makes us all fueled and pumped up making our “Alimbukad” worth it.

again, there’s a time for everything…

To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A time….

Most of us are pressured with the things happening around us. We rush things, bully the world to get control of what we think we need. Kaya naman, breathe and take your time. We all have our season, and the key is to learn to appreciate yours. Just like the bare trees during winter patiently waiting for spring, you can choose to stay and enjoy the journey. Embrace the moment and see its beauty.

Envying other people’s success wont do any good. Envy doesn’t make your flower petals shine brighter than others. You can be the sunlight,the water,the shade, or the soil to anyone’s season…being happy for them isn’t harmful din naman, celebrating with other people’s success won’t make you less of a person too. If you were made to be a Mirasol, then give it your best!!!

Stop wasting your time trying to be a Rose when you were made to be a Wild Sunflower, A Sampaguita when you were made to bloom as African violets…Don’t rush. Don’t try to be someone else. Be the flower you were created to be and thrive. You’ll have your Alimbukad so as I’ll have mine.

Hush
Don’t rush
you’re in a brewing season
don’t give yourself
a reason
to quit,
either you dive
or jive.
make the most of what you have
enjoy the process
rise above
be the best version of yourself
and not of anyone else

Andrea G.